More broadly speaking, every part of this scheme that is currently an arbitrary Apple decision (and not a technological limitation), can easily become an arbitrary government decision.
And yes, it's true that the governments could always mandate such scanning before. The difference is that it'll be much harder politically for Apple to push back against tweaks to the scheme (such as lowering the bar for manual review / notification of authorities) if they already have it rolled out successfully and publicly argued that it's acceptable in principle, as opposed to pushing back against any kind of scanning at all.
Once you establish that something is okay in principle, the specifics can be haggled over. I mean, just imagine this conversation in a Congressional hearing:
"So, you only report if there are 30+ CSAM images found by the scan. Does this mean that pedophiles with 20 CSAM images on their phones are not reported?"
"Well... yes."
"And how did you decide that 30 is the appropriate number? Why not 20, or 10? Do you maybe think that going after CSAM is not that important, after all?"
There's a very old joke along these lines that seems particularly appropriate here:
"Churchill: Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?
Socialite: My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we would have to discuss terms, of course…
Churchill: Would you sleep with me for five pounds?
Socialite: Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!
Churchill: Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price."
Apple has put itself in the position where, from now on, they'll be haggling about the price - and they don't really have much leverage there.
5 million pounds can ensure a comfortable life everywhere in the world today and was likely worth much more in the past.
Assuming said socialite was not in a committed relationship, why would they not take that money for what must be 30m of effort which may actually be pleasant?
5 pounds on the other hand is not only a small amount of money, but it’s also insulting to ask somebody that’s not a prostitute to sleep with one for such a pittance.
Fictional Churchill was acting like an asshole and the fictional socialite was acting rationally. She only should have replied instead “X million pounds is the best I can offer, but I should certainly hope you are good in bed Mr. Churchill”.
The post you responded to already addressed that exact point.
>And yes, it's true that the governments could always mandate such scanning before. The difference is that it'll be much harder politically for Apple to push back against tweaks to the scheme (such as lowering the bar for manual review / notification of authorities) if they already have it rolled out successfully and publicly argued that it's acceptable in principle, as opposed to pushing back against any kind of scanning at all.
>Once you establish that something is okay in principle, the specifics can be haggled over. I mean, just imagine this conversation in a Congressional hearing:
And yes, it's true that the governments could always mandate such scanning before. The difference is that it'll be much harder politically for Apple to push back against tweaks to the scheme (such as lowering the bar for manual review / notification of authorities) if they already have it rolled out successfully and publicly argued that it's acceptable in principle, as opposed to pushing back against any kind of scanning at all.
Once you establish that something is okay in principle, the specifics can be haggled over. I mean, just imagine this conversation in a Congressional hearing:
"So, you only report if there are 30+ CSAM images found by the scan. Does this mean that pedophiles with 20 CSAM images on their phones are not reported?"
"Well... yes."
"And how did you decide that 30 is the appropriate number? Why not 20, or 10? Do you maybe think that going after CSAM is not that important, after all?"
There's a very old joke along these lines that seems particularly appropriate here:
"Churchill: Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?
Socialite: My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we would have to discuss terms, of course…
Churchill: Would you sleep with me for five pounds?
Socialite: Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!
Churchill: Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price."
Apple has put itself in the position where, from now on, they'll be haggling about the price - and they don't really have much leverage there.